Echoing Silence
by infinityneverlasts
Summary: Is evil born or taught? Agony can be experienced but not bred, so its been said. Can evil not be the same? What of love? Friendship? Is that truly the opposite of all that Voldemort's own brand of evil stands for? Who will concede first? In a battle of wills, which would emerge the victor? Snakes claim evil. Phoenixes claim love. Which is she?


**_I know I'm just posting because I'm bored and don't want to study, but if you like this idea so far, let me know!_**

* * *

Whispers seemed to follow her no matter which corridor she walked.

 _"Did you know..."_

 _"I heard..."_

 _"There's no way You-Know-Who's back..."_

 _"...supporting Potter..."_

 _"Liars. The whole lot, if you ask me."_

 _"Even the Slytherins are steering clear of her..."_

 _"...Umbridge won't look her in the eyes. Saw it myself..."_

Yes.

The whispers kept following her no matter what corridor, classroom, courtyard, or hall she entered.

Hell, even Pince couldn't stop the constant mutterings that broke out whenever she entered the library. It'd gotten so bad that the old woman had banned her from the entire vicinity until she "could sort out whatever problem" everyone suddenly had with her.

 _"I saw her pull Longbottom aside at the Platform before the train left. She got on first, but you should've seen him mate. Poor sod looked as if he'd just gone through the Cruciatus."_

 _"Not surprising. You've noticed the resemblance, yeah?"_

 _"You too?"_

 _"What are you..."_

They were less than five days into the new year, and she was all people seemed to be talking about.

Her and Harry of course.

But this seemed different. when her peers whispered when her back was turned or her head was down, all dark thoughts they previously held of her seemed to be pouring out in a free for all.

 _"I can't believe Dumbledore let her back in..."_

 _"...only a matter of time..."_

 _"Potter thinks You-Know-Who's back. Between the two, who do you think would actually try to bring him back?"_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"All I'm saying is, if she's trying to get Potter riled up about this. It wouldn't be so hard to believe. I mean, look at her. Can't you see it?"_

 _"See what?"_

 _"Got the dark look about her. Yeah, I can see it."_

 _"What-"_

 _"Look at her, mate. Bet she's already started going into the Dark Arts."_

Five days and everyone was under the impression that she was single handedly trying to "bring back" Voldemort.

Apparently Umbridge was quivering in her horrendous pink shoes, Snape was being much too friendly, McGonagall was "freezing her out," Flitwick was too subdued around her, Sprout had apparently banned her from the Greenhouses for "killing her precious mandrakes," and Dumbledore was indifferent to her existence.

According to everyone, the evidence was stacking up against her.

Give it a week and she'd be showing off her Dark Mark, they all claimed.

She wanted to laugh at that one. How would she get a Dark Mark if Voldemort wasn't actually back? People didn't seem to realize that oversight.

Harry and Hermione had been "rightfully" outraged at the "daft, inconsiderate, idiocy of their own words!"

Hermione's exact phrasing. Harry had just been scowling with a brooding Ron.

 _"Even the snakes are avoiding her."_

All the student population of Hogwarts had done for the past five days was conspicuously gab about how much of an attention whore Harry was being, and how evil she'd been all along.

In all honesty, she knew her year would be complete and utter shite when Umbridge had called out her name during roll call on the first day of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

 _"Black? Any relation to notorious Murderer and Escaped Prisoner, Sirius Black?"_

The class had quieted down almost immediately. This was the first time a Professor had directly questioned her lineage with an audience.

Caught off guard, she'd been proud that her face remained blank.

" _Second cousin once removed. My mother was labeled a Blood Traitor. Would that be all Professor Umbridge? I'd be glad to present a Family Tree if you're still curious."_

That smart remark had led to the lovely mark currently hidden on her hand.

Needless to say, A.J. was ready to pull a Seamus Finnigan and set everything she touched on fire just to spite the Pink Toad and every gossip monger that so much as looked in her direction.

Five days.

Thank Merlin this wasn't her O.W.L. or N.E.W.T. Year.


End file.
